The Heroes of July

A Solemn and Imposing Event
Dedication of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg
Immense Numbers of Visitors
Oration by Hon. Edward Everett--Speeches of President Lincoln, Mr. Seward and
Governor Seymour
THE PROGRAMME SUCCESSFULLY CARRIED OUT

OTHER HEADLINES

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Department Of The Gulf: Arrival Of The Creole From New-Orleans:
The Attack Upon Gen. Washburn's Column: Our Entire Loss Six Hundred and Seventy-seven

Great Britain And America: Welcome To Rev. Henry Ward Beecher: Demonstration at the Brooklyn Academy of Music: A Great Speech: His Impressions of British Feeling Toward America

The ceremonies attending the dedication of the National Cemetery commenced this
morning by a grand military and civic display, under command of Maj. Gen. Coucs. The
line of march was taken up at 10 o'clock, and the procession marched through the
principal streets to the Cemetery, where the military formed in line and saluted the
President. At 11-1/4 the head of the procession arrived at the main stand. The President
and members of the Cabinet, together with the chief military and civic dignitaries, took
position on the stand. The President seated himself between Mr. Seward and Mr. Everett
after a reception marked with the respect and perfect silence due to the solemnity of the
occasion, every man in the immense gathering uncovering on his appearance.

The military were formed in line extending around the stand, the area between the stand
and military being occupied by civilians, comprising about 15,000 people and including
men, women and children. The attendance of ladies was quite large. The military escort
comprised one squadron of cavalry, two batteries of artillery and a regiment of infantry,
which constitutes the regular funeral escort of honor for the highest officer in the service.

After the performance of a funeral dirge, by Birgfield, by the band, an eloquent prayer
was delivered by Rev. Mr. Stockton, as follows:

O God, our Father, for the sake of the Son, our Saviour, inspire us with thy spirit, and
sanctify us to the right fulfillment of the duties of this occasion. We come to dedicate this
new historic centre as a National Cemetery. If all the Departments of the one Government
thou hast ordained over our Union, and of the many Governments which Thou has
subordinated to the Union be there represented; if all classes, relations and interests of
our blended brotherhood of people stand severally and thoroughly apparent in Thy
presence, we trust it is because Thou hast called us, that Thy blessing awaits us, and that
Thy designs may be embodied in practical results of incalculable, imperishable good.
And so with thy holy Apostle and with the Church in all lands and ages, we unite in the
ascription: Blessed be God, even the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
Moses, and the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may
be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves
are comforted of God. In emulation of all angels, in fellowship with all saints, and in
sympathy with all sufferers, in remembrance of Thy works, in reverence of Thy ways,
and in accordance with Thy word, we love and magnify Thy infinite perfections. Thy
creative glory, Thy redeeming grace, Thy providential goodness, and the progressive,
richer and fairer development of thy supreme, universal and everlasting administration.
In behalf of all humanity, whose ideal is divine, whose first memory is thy image lost,
whose last hope is thy image restored; especially in behalf of our own nation, whose
position is so peerless, whose mission is so sublime, and whose future is so attractive; we
thank Thee for the unspeakable patience of thy compassion and for the exceeding
greatness of thy loving kindness. In contemplation of Eden, Calvary and Heaven, of
Christ in the God on the cross, and on the throne--nay, more--of Christ as coming again
in all-subduing power and glory; we gratefully prolong our homage by this altar of
sacrifice, on this field of deliverance, on this mount of salvation, within the fiery and
bloody line of these mountains and rocks, looking back to the dark days of fear and of
trembling, and the rapture of relief that came after, we multiply our thanksgivings and
confess our obligations to renew and perfect our personal and social consecration to thy
service and glory. O, had it not been for God! for our enemies, they came unresisted,
multitudinous, mighty, flushed with victory and sure of success; they exalted on our
mountains; they reveled in our valleys; they feasted, they rested, they slept, they
awakened, they grew stronger, prouder and bolder every day; they spread abroad, they
concentrated here; they looked beyond this horizon to the stores of wealth, to the haunts
of pleasure and the seats of power in our Capital and chief cities; they prepared to cast the
chain of Slavery around the form of freedom, and to bind life and death together forever.
Their premature triumph was the mockery of God and man. One more victory, and all
was theirs. But behind these hills was heard the feebler march of a smaller but still a
pursuing host; onward they hurried, day and night, for their country and their God;
footsore, wayworn, hungry, thirsty, faint, but not in heart; they came to dare all, to bear
all, and to do all that is possible to heroes. At first they met the blast on the plain, and
bent before it like trees; but then led by Thy hand to the hills, they took their stand on
these rocks, and remained as firm and immovable as they. In vain were they assaulted; all
art, all violence, all desperation failed to dislodge them. Baffled, bruised, broken, their
enemies retired and disappeared. Glory to God for this rescue! But, Oh! the slain, in the
freshness and fullness of their young and manly life! with such sweet memories of father
and mother, brother and sister, wife and children, maiden and friend, from the coasts
beneath the Eastern star; from the shores of Northern lakes and rivers; from the flowers
of the Western prairies; from the homes of the midway and the border, they came here to
die for us and for mankind! Alas How little we can do for them! We come with the
humility of prayer, with the pathetic eloquence of venerable wisdom, with the tender
beauty of poetry, with the plaintive harmony of music, with the honest tribute of our
Chief Magistrate, and with all this honorable attendances; but our best hope is in Thy
blessings. O Lord, Our God, bless us. O, Our Father, bless the bereaved, whether absent
or present. Bless our sick and wounded soldiers and sailors. Bless all our rulers and
people. Bless our army and navy. Bless the efforts to suppress this rebellion, and bless all
the associations of this day, and place, and scene, forever. As the trees are not dead,
though their foliage is gone, so our heroes are not dead though their forms have fallen. In
their proper personality they are all with thee, and the spirit of their example is here. It
fills the air, it fills our hearts, and as long as time shall last it will hover in these skies and
rest on these landscapes, and pilgrims of our own land and of all lands, will thrill with its
inspiration, and increase and confirm their devotion to liberty, religion and God.

Mr. Everett then commenced the delivery of his oration, which was listened to with
marked attention throughout. [The oration of Mr. Everett will be found on our second
page.]

Although a heavy fog clouded the heavens in the morning during the procession, the sun
broke out in all its brilliancy during the Rev. Mr. Stockton's prayer and shone upon the
magnificent spectacle. The assemblage was of great magnitude, and was gathered within
a circle of great extent around the stand which was located on the highest point of ground
on which the battle was fought. A long line of military surrounded the position taken by
the immense multitude of people.

The Marshal took up a position on the left of the stand. Numerous flags and banners,
suitably draped, were exhibited on the stand among the audience. The entire scene was
one of grandeur due to the importance of the occasion. So quiet were the people that
every word uttered by the orator of the day must have been heard by them all,
notwithstanding the immensity of the concours.

Among the distinguished persons on the platform were the following: Governors
Bradford, of Maryland; Curtin, of Pennsylvania; Morton, of Indiana; Seymour, of New
York; Parker, of New Jersey, and Tod, of Ohio; Ex-Gov. Dennison, of Ohio; John
Brough, Governor Elect, of Ohio; Charles Anderson, Lieutenant-Governor of Ohio;
Major-Generals Schenck, Stahel, Doubleday, and Couch; Brigadier-General Gibbon; and
Provost-Marshal-General Fry.

To read the rest of this article, including the text of President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, please go to a PDF of the original article from the
New York Times archive.